Ostomy support garment and the preparation thereof

ABSTRACT

A device for locating and marking the optimum position of the centre of a hole for receiving a stoma in a hernia support, said device being in the form of work piece provided with a pattern for identifying and recording the optimum position for placing of the centre of the hole provides a simple device and method for an easy determination and marking of the site for a customised hole in standard hernia trousers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device and a method for locating andmarking the optimum position of the centre of a hole for receiving astoma in stomal hernia support garment, especially stomal hernia supporttrousers and a set for use for locating and marking the optimum positionof the centre of a hole for receiving a stoma in stomal hernia supportgarment.

In connection with surgery for a number of diseases in thegastrointestinal tract a consequence is, in many cases, that the colon,the ileum or the urethra has been exposed surgically and the patient isleft with an abdominal stoma. Such artificial openings or fistulaecannot be controlled at will and are therefore of necessity incontinentand the effluents or waste products of the body, which are conveyedthrough these organs, are discharged through the artificial orifice oropening and are collected in a collection bag. Said bag which is usuallyadhered to the skin by means of an adhesive wafer or plate having aninlet opening for accommodating the stoma. Such appliances may betwo-piece or one-piece appliances. In both types of appliances, a bodyside member is attached to the wearer's abdomen, and a receiving memberor bag is attached to the body side ostomy member for receiving exudatesfrom the stoma. Said receiving in case of a two-piece appliance.

In many instances patients having had a surgery resulting in theformation of a stoma, an accompanying condition is formation of aperistomal bulge or hernia, which may complicate the bandaging of thestoma and even require further surgery. Even if further surgery iscarried out there is a considerable risk of a permanent condition, whichcannot be alleviated.

In such cases, the patient will have to rely on an additional herniasupport for a mechanical reposition of the bulge or hernia for reducingthe risk of constriction or strangulation calling for urgent surgery andfor providing a plane surface around the stoma for application of acollecting appliance in order to secure a proper adherence and sealing.Stomal bulge or hernia supports are commonly known and may e.g. be inthe form of a belt of e.g. of leather with buckles or in the form of asupport garment made from an elastic fabric being able to apply asufficient pressure around the stoma.

In the case of a colostomy and in case the ostomate is normallyirrigating, a minor cap or collecting bag may be used which enables theuse of a firm support belt or tight compression briefs for providing asufficient pressure around the stoma. For ileostomates or urostomatesthis procedure is not practicable due to the constant rather high outputfrom the ileum or bladder and for urostomates it may be critical toprovide a free flow from the stoma in order to prevent a build-up of abackpressure, which may destroy the kidneys.

In such cases, it is highly desirable or mandatory to give access to alarger collecting volume, which means that the collecting bag itselfwill have to be situated outside the pressure establishing belt orbriefs and that a passageway through the same has to be established.

Determination of the site for placing the stoma is normally carried outprior to the operation after observing the patient in differentpostures, e.g. sitting, standing and bending over, finding the lesscritical area. WO 00/67683 discloses a device for use in thedetermination of the optimum position of a stoma-to-be for the patientin question.

As the placing of a stoma is not standardised but depends on thecondition and the topography of the abdominal area of the patient, it isnot possible to provide a simple selection of standard bulge or herniasupports having passageways fitting the majority of patients. Thepassageways must be precisely tailored according to the actualconditions of the individual patient.

2. Description of the Related Art

DK Patent Application No. PA 1999 01559 discloses a stomal hernialsupport compression garment in the form of a pair of customisedcompression trousers. The trousers are tailored by determining thedimensions of the patient and the localisation of the stoma forproducing a pair of trousers specifically for the patient in questionfor ensuring a specific compression force. The manufacture of such ahernial support is laborious and expensive as the whole support is madespecifically for each patient.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,520 discloses a variable closure device for anostomy garment having a pair of criss-cross pocket forming panelsconfigures to lie behind an ostomy device. The crisscross arrangement ofpocket panels are created by finished edges which overlap along theirlower ends to define an adjustable, elongated, slanted slot.

No devices for an easy location and marking of a hole for receiving astoma for tailoring a hernia support from a standard support garment isdisclosed and there is a need for such device in order to enable asimple, convenient, and cheap tailoring of hernia supports for improvingthe security against leakage and the quality of life for the patientafter this kind of surgery.

The present invention provides a simple device and method for an easydetermination and marking of the site for a customised hole in astandard support garment for enabling a free flow of effluents from astoma to pass the hernia trousers without compromising the herniasupporting properties thereof. The invention also offers a simple,convenient, and reliable method for a decentralised collection of thenecessary information and simple transfer thereof to the manufacturerfor a centralised manufacture of customised support garments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Invention relates to a device for locating and marking the optimumposition of the centre of a hole for receiving a stoma in a stomalhernia support.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a set for use for locating andmarking the optimum position of the centre of a hole for receiving astoma in a hernia support garment.

Still further, the invention relates to a methods for locating andmarking the optimum position of the centre of a hole for receiving astoma in support trousers and transferring the information for a centralmanufacture of customised support garments based on standard supportgarments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is disclosed more in detail with reference to the drawingsin which

FIG. 1 shows a pair of stomal hernia trousers wherein the site of astoma is marked,

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention in the form of a stiff workpiece being provided with a coordinate system,

FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of FIG. 2 located in a pair of stomal herniatrousers,

FIG. 4 shows the embodiment of FIG. 3 on which the site of the stoma hasbeen marked, and

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the invention in the form of a pairof briefs of elastic fabric provided with a coordinate system worn by auser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for locating and marking the optimumposition of the centre of a hole for receiving a stoma in a stomalhernia support, said device being in the form of work piece providedwith a pattern for identifying and recording the optimum position forplacing of the centre of the hole.

The invention fulfils the requirements stated above and provides asimple, convenient, rapid and cheap method of providing customisedostomy support garments. Thus, it is not necessary to await theproduction of fully customised support garments and the manufacturer isrendered capable of rapid delivery of customised support garments fromstandard products without having to rely on a large stock of products.

In one embodiment of the invention the customised support piece is agarment provided whit holes for the legs of the user and may even beprovided with trouser legs. In other embodiments the customised supportpiece is a piece without holes for the legs of the user such that thepiece has a corset-like or belt-like shape.

In one embodiment of the invention, the device is in the form of stiffwork piece being provided with a systematic pattern. The work piece ispreferably of an essentially rectangular shape and provided with aprinted pattern allowing an easy identification of a specific site atthe surface, suitably a coordinate system. The pattern is suitablyprinted on the work piece. Such a work piece may suitably be usedtogether with a sample standard pair of support briefs. The width of thework piece preferably corresponds to at least half the waist measurementof the briefs in which case it may be placed reproducibly in the briefsand flattening the same. Thus, the nurse or other assisting person onlyneeds to have a sample of a work piece in the form of an essentiallyrectangular piece of e.g. cardboard provided with a coordinate systemand a sample standard pair of support briefs which may be used severaltimes for several ostomates. Then, after selecting and applying astandard pair of support briefs to the ostomate, locating and markingthe optimum position of the centre of the hole for the receiving thestoma, the work piece is placed in the briefs and the coordinates andsizes of the support garment and the work piece may be recorded andstored and transferred to the manufacturer who may easily provide acorresponding pair of standard trousers with a tailored hole. The onlyInformation, which has to be recorded and transferred to themanufacturer, is the coordinates of the centre of the hole and sizes ofthe support garment and the work piece. At the factory a correspondingessentially rectangular piece of e.g. cardboard provided with acoordinate system is then placed in a corresponding set of standardtrousers and the site of the hole is then marked reproducibly and thehole produced and the edge stabilised against fraying in a manner knownper se.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the deviceis in the form an essentially rectangular piece of foil or cardboard orpaper or plastics material such as a sheet of a polyolefin such aspolyethylene or polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride or a polyacrylatesuch as polymethyl methacrylate provided with a coordinate system whichprovides for an easy recording and storing of the information theposition of the centre of the hole for the receiving the stoma as statedabove.

In another embodiment of the invention, the device is in the form ofpiece of elastic fabric the size and stretchability of which correspondsto the size and stretchability of a standard pair of support briefsprovided with a pattern suitable for recording the position of thecentre of the hole for the receiving the stoma. Such a piece of elasticfabric may be used by wrapping the piece around the torso of an ostomateand covering the stoma, securing the same, and then marking the positionof the stoma. It is preferred that the pattern is a coordinate systemwhich provides for an easy recording and storing of the information theposition of the centre of the hole.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device is in the form ofa pair of briefs of the same elastic fabric used for manufacturingstomal hernia trousers, which trousers are provided with a coordinatesystem. Then, after selecting and applying a pair of standard supportbriefs to the ostomate, locating and marking the optimum position of thecentre of the hole for the receiving the stoma, the coordinates may berecorded and stored and transferred to the manufacturer who may easilyprovide the trousers with a tailored hole. Using this embodiment, it ispossible to provide the standard briefs with a discreet pattern andthen, standard briefs may be used for detecting and recording the site.

The pattern or coordinate system may be weaved in using a discreet treadof a different colour or printed on the surface of the trousers,preferably the inside. In a preferred embodiment, such a pattern isprinted using ink, which is fluorescent and only visible when using UVlight.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to a set for use for locatingand marking the optimum position of the centre of a hole for receiving astoma in a hernia support, said set comprising an essentiallyrectangular work piece provided with a coordinate system and an array ofsample standard pairs of support briefs. Such a set is suitable for useas discussed above. For simplicity, it is preferred that the width ofthe work piece is sufficient to flatten all sizes of standard pairs ofsupport briefs when placed inside the briefs.

In a third aspect, the invention relates to a method for locating andmarking the optimum position of the centre of a hole for receiving astoma in hernia trousers comprising placing a work piece around thetorso of ostomate and covering the stoma, locating and recording theoptimum position centre of the hole for the receiving the stoma andsizes of the support garment and the work piece, storing the informationand using the same for producing a pair of stomal hernia trousers forthe ostmate, said trousers having a tailored hole for receiving thestoma.

In a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a method for locating andmarking the optimum position of the centre of a hole for receiving astoma in hernia trousers comprising applying a pair of standard supportbriefs to the ostomate, locating and marking the optimum position of thecentre of the hole for the receiving the stoma, placing a work piece ofe.g. cardboard provided with a coordinate system in the briefs andrecording the optimum coordinates of the centre of the hole and sizes ofthe support garment and the work piece, storing the information andusing the same for producing a pair of stomal hernia trousers having atailored hole for the ostomate.

In a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a method for locating andmarking the optimum position of the centre of a hole for receiving astoma in stomal hernia trousers comprising applying a pair of briefs ofelastic fabric provided with a coordinate system, locating and markingthe optimum position and recording the coordinates of the centre of thehole for the receiving the stoma, storing the information together withinformation on the size of the briefs and using the same for producing apair of stomal hernia trousers for the ostomate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention is now explained more in detail with reference to thedrawings showing preferred embodiments of the invention.

Reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 2 which show a pair of stomal herniatrousers 1 wherein the site 2 of a stoma is marked, and an embodiment ofa device 3 of the invention for locating and marking the optimumposition of the centre of a hole for receiving a stoma in the form of astiff work piece being provided with a coordinate system, having rowsand columns being individually identifiable. The device in thisembodiment is suitably in the form of a piece of e.g. cardboard providedwith a printed coordinate system.

FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of FIG. 2 in use located in a pair of herniatrousers on which the position of the stoma has been marked. The gridforming the coordinate system is for convenience detectable through thematerial of the trousers.

After registration of the site and forwarding the information to themanufacturer of the stomal hernia trousers, the manufacturer places acorresponding device in a corresponding set of trousers for locating thecentre of the hole to be made for tailoring the trousers to the user asindicated in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the invention in the form of a pairof briefs of elastic fabric provided with a printed coordinate systemand located on a user. In one embodiment, the trousers are used as testtrousers for registering the site on different users whereafter theindividual trousers are made in accordance with the respectiveregistrations as indicated above.

In another embodiment, the grid or coordinate system is not only used ona set of master or test trousers but is applied on all the trousers tobe used as well, printed, knitted or vowen in a discreet manner allowingan easy localisation of the centre of the hole to be made. Then, theregistration may be used for a very easy marking and making the holes inthe trousers to be used as the pattern is integrated in the trousers andmay be used for registration from the patient and then distant therefromdirectly for cutting or punching the customised hole before deliveringto the user. The cutting or punching of the holes is preferably madecentrally with the manufacturer or with a wholesaler in which case themanufacturing is more easily automated as the costs for the necessaryequipment per produced unit is then minimized.

1. A device for locating and marking the optimum position of the centreof a hole for receiving a stoma in a stomal hernia support, said devicebeing In the form of work piece provided with a pattern for identifyingand recording the optimum position for placing of the centre of thehole.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in the form of a stiff workpiece being provided with a coordinate system.
 3. A device as claimed inclaim 2 in the form of an essentially rectangular piece provided with acoordinate system.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1 in the form ofpiece of elastic fabric provided with a coordinate system.
 5. A deviceas claimed in claim 4 in the form of a pair of briefs of elastic fabricprovided with a coordinate system.
 6. A set for use for locating andmarking the optimum position of the centre of a hole for receiving astoma in a hernia support, said set comprising an essentiallyrectangular work piece provided with a coordinate system and a samplestandard pair of support briefs.
 7. A method for locating and markingthe optimum position of the centre of a hole for receiving a stoma instomal hernia trousers comprising applying a standard pair of supportbriefs to the ostomate, locating and marking the optimum position of thecentre of the hole for the receiving the stoma, placing a work pieceprovided with a coordinate system in the briefs and recording theoptimum coordinates of the centre of the hole and sizes of the supportgarment and the work piece, storing the information and using the samefor producing a pair of stomal hernia trousers having a tailored holefor the ostomate.
 8. A method for locating and marking the optimumposition of the centre of a hole for receiving a stoma in stomal herniatrousers comprising applying a pair of briefs of elastic fabric providedwith a coordinate system, locating and marking the optimum position andcoordinates of the centre of the hole for the receiving the stoma andsize of the support briefs, storing the information and using the samefor producing a pair of stomal hernia trousers for the ostomate.